Objectives of the minor assessment
The aim of this assignment is to give students a chance to test their ability to apply the tools presented in
the “Operations Management” course to the analysis of real‐world business cases.
Description of the assignment
The case: Braccialini Group, Florence (Italy).
Braccialini Group is a leather goods manufacturer, managing several trademarks, either directly owned or
used under license.
Each student is expected to submit a case report, based also on the analysis of relevant background readings
on top of the case study itself, addressing the following issues:
Explain what is meant by “operations” and discuss their strategic role at Braccialini.
State what transformed and transforming resources are used in the production process.
Describe the group’s operations abroad.
Explain what the terms “quality, speed, dependability, flexibility and cost” mean in the context of
operations and competitiveness at Braccialini.
Suggest a process for the design of new products.
This is an academic piece of work: your case report is expected to link theory and practice
You should take care to ensure that the work you submit has a high standard of presentation. You must
acknowledge all sources of information and evidence using the Harvard Referencing System.
The report will count for 25% of the final grade given for the “Operations Management” course.
Structure of the assignment.
Cover page.
It includes the course name, the project title, the students’ full names, the lecturer’s full name and
the submission date.
Table of contents.
It includes all the headings with appropriate page numbers, including the References and the
Appendices.
Executive summary.
Introduction.
It introduces the reader to the case you are going to present.
Analysis.
(see under “Description of the assignment”)
Conclusions.
They draw key insights from the case analysis, summarize the main features of the company
presented and propose future development for its business and organisational solutions.
References.
Format.
The case report is expected to consist of approximately 2000 words, not counting tables or inserts,
introduction and conclusions. The report should be prepared as a neatly typed Word document (Times New
Roman, 12 points), with double spacing and page numbering. Tables or data taken from other sources may
be included in one or more Appendices. All sources must be referenced in the text and a full list of references
(including visited websites) must be provided, in compliance with the Harvard Referencing System.